Mind-blowing WR statistics from 2017

Submitted by Wolverine Devotee on

Saw this tweeted earlier and was shocked by it.

I knew Grant Perry was our leading receiver with very few yards but I didn't know only 3 TDs last year were by WRs......

Player Rec. Yds. Yds/Rec. Yds/Gm TD Lng
Grant Perry 25 307 12.3 27.9 1 33
Zack Gentry 17 303 17.8 23.3 2 36
Sean McKeon 31 301 9.7 23.2 3 36
Donovan Peoples-Jones 22 277 12.6 21.3 0 48
Kekoa Crawford 17 243 14.3 22.1 1 43
Chris Evans 16 157 9.8 12.1 1 24
Tarik Black 11 149 13.5 49.7 1 46
Karan Higdon 8 131 16.4 10.1 0 35
Eddie McDoom 11 81 7.4 6.8 0 24
Khalid Hill 5 62 12.4 4.8 0 22
Nick Eubanks 2 61 30.5 15.2 0 48
Nate Schoenle 4 41 10.2 3.7 0 15
Nico Collins 3 27 9.0 6.8 0 13
Tyrone Wheatley, Jr. 3 26 8.7 2.4 0 15
Henry Poggi 2 21 10.5 1.6 0 11
Ty Isaac 3 16 5.3 1.8 0 10
Drake Harris 1 10 10.0 2.0 0 10
Maurice Ways 3 7 2.3 0.7 0 4
Ian Bunting 1 6 6.0 0.5 0 6

 

ckersh74

May 29th, 2018 at 9:55 PM ^

I'm going to let you dive into the Superguide on this one: When was the last time our leading receiver had such a low yardage total? 

PopeLando

May 29th, 2018 at 10:53 PM ^

Edit: 1973, Paul Seal was Michigan's leading receiver with 254 yards. Per Sports Reference.

Michigan went 10-0-1 that year.

Since 1950, the absolute low point in yardage from a leading receiver was 1971, when Glenn Doughty had a whopping 203 yards on the year. Michigan went 11-1.

Lest we all think that was just a Bo relic, in 1961 Bennie McRae had 210.

Lest we all think that was just a sign of the times...it was, at least until Jack Clancy showed up and put up over 1000 yards in 1966.

Gulogulo37

May 30th, 2018 at 1:18 AM ^

Bill Connelly had some sort of "game of the week" recaps for old games. One was Michigan OSU. I forget when it was, maybe even before Bo Woody. But one sentence stuck out. Something about how the first pass was thrown halfway through the 4th quarter. My how much the game has changed.

But barely cracking 300 yards for our top WR in a west coast offense? Yeesh.

plaidflannel

May 29th, 2018 at 9:56 PM ^

They also all occured in the first 7 quarters of the season.  In the last 45 quarters of the season, WRs caught zero TDs.

Black returning and an extra year of experience for the entire WR corps will be huge for this team.

MadMatt

May 30th, 2018 at 8:03 AM ^

In the first half, before the rains came down.  But, I suppose our excellent game plan that called for establishing the inside zone, so that later in the game (with the clouds threatening to burst from the opening kick-off) play action would bust our receivers wide open, was the right way to go. /s/

Did Tom Izzo draw up Michigan's game plan?

HAIL-YEA

May 30th, 2018 at 1:10 PM ^

Ty Isaac fumble at midfield killed me. We ended up turining it over 5 times that day but before the Isaac fumble everything was going our way.

The team last year had a knack of breaking down everytime things got tight. I hope that is just a symptom of inexperience, because if that is just what they are we are in for some serious heartbreak this year.

MadMatt

May 30th, 2018 at 8:10 AM ^

No.  Dude should have been working out at OT from the moment it was clear he would not be the featured TE.

Now Mr. Wheatley, if you're reading this, please Please PLEASE, prove me wrong!  I'd be delighted to eat crow with a side of humble pie.  Win the Mackey Award, and I will happily walk into Schembechler Hall with my face painted maize and blue to offer you my apologies and congratulations.

JTrain

May 29th, 2018 at 10:12 PM ^

I’m no psychic or football expert for that matter but you have got to feel better about our chances this year with our WR’s being a year older, our TE’s being better, the addition of Ed Warinner...and perhaps even a competent QB or three??? I mean c’mon...if our QB can hit a WR in stride...even just show up and resemble a starting Michigan QB of the past...this year could really turn into something great.

The Fan in Fargo

May 29th, 2018 at 11:25 PM ^

Don't forget the fact that there is an actual receivers coach this year. Or so I've been reading. A grad assistant isn't going to cut it. Michigan hired the Florida Gators ex head coach to be the fucking receivers coach and that coach alone. You think there's a chance they know what the hell is going on this year? I sure fucking hope so!!

LKLIII

May 29th, 2018 at 10:37 PM ^

Obviously stats don’t work this way, but if Black has stayed healthy and played every game, you extrapolate out his statistics and he doubles the production of Perry.

mGrowOld

May 29th, 2018 at 11:03 PM ^

Go back and read the preview Brian did on the 2017 team and he completely dismissed the negative impact young WR have on production. I got into a debate w him and bunch of other people here on the subject cause Freshman WRs ALWAYS suck.

But nobody, BC included, wanted to hear that. FYI they'll be better this year no matter who is playing QB and they'll be even better next year. Its just how things work at that position.

funkywolve

May 29th, 2018 at 11:25 PM ^

Brian was wearing the maize and blue glasses when he wrote the 2017 offense preview.  It's been a couple of months since I re-read but despite the heavy losses to graduation with guys who were multi year staters, he was predicting it to be the best offense in the Harbaugh era,  I realize some things happened that weren't predicatble and the offense was worse then what anyone would have predicted but at some point youth and inexperience have to be factored into the equation.

AZBlue

May 30th, 2018 at 12:35 AM ^

Brian said almost all frosh WR’s suck, but that with 4 of that caliber there was a better than decent shot that one would break the mold.



His bet was on DPJ but it appeared that Black was well on his way before injury.... double the ypg of any other receiver and near the top in total yards despite playing less than 4 full games.



That said, the gist still was Frosh WRs suck...but, but Michigan!!!



Depressing chart - not just the overall numbers but the clear lack of explosive plays.

Double-D

May 30th, 2018 at 9:51 AM ^

UofM freshman records. I think he was still leading us 4 games after he was hurt.

The kid is a unique 1st round type of talent and having him back and a year older is going to be huge.

You still don’t want your leading receiver to be a freshman with several in the rotation.